Context & Calling

Yesterday, I stood outside Omiya Station with a simple sign that read: “Let’s Talk in English.”

It didn’t seem particularly significant at the time.

The day was quieter than we expected. The extreme summer heat, the welcome shade of a large tree where we stood, and a national holiday all seemed to keep many people away. There weren’t long lines or constant conversations. In fact, it would have been easy to wonder whether our presence was making much of a difference at all.

Then Kato stopped.

We talked for only a couple of minutes before inviting him to a local language cafe hosted by Christians in the area. Shortly afterward, Hikaru came by. And we had the opportunity to extend the same invitation to him.

That’s it.

Two conversations. Two young men. Two minutes.

From a worldy perspective, it might not seem like much. But God’s kingdom has never been measured by the world’s metrics. We don’t know what God has already been doing in Kato’s or Hikaru’s hearts. We don’t know what questions they carry, what disappointments they’ve experienced, or what quiet prayers they may have whispered.

What we do know is that the Holy Spirit is always at work long before we arrive.

Our role isn’t to manufacture conversations. Our role isn’t to manufacture conversations. Our role is to faithfully sow seeds, love people well, and trust God with whatever happens next.

Would you pray with me for Kato and Hikaru?

Pray that they would accept the invitation to the language cafe and encounter authentic Christian community. Pray that the Holy Spirit would continue drawing them to Jesus, opening their hearts to the hope of the gospel. And pray against the spiritual opposition that seeks to distract, discourage, or blind people from seeing Christ.

Two minutes may not seem like much.

But in God’s hands, two minutes can become the beginning of eternity.

Grace and Peace,

Sandra

PS: The attached photo was taken on a crowded train to meet another missionary in Saitama Prefecture, near Tokorozawa Station.